Electric high-tension apparatus



A ril 23, 1929. P, KAPWZA 1,710,626

ELECTRIC HIGH TENSION APPARATUS Filed Aug. 26. 1924 Patented Apr. 23, 1929.

warren srarss PIERRE KAPITZA, OF OEIESTERTON, ENGLAND.

ELECTRIC HI H- ENSIGN AEPPA'RATUS.

Application filed. August 26, 1324, Serial No. 734,288, and in Great Britain September 5, 1923.

This invention relates to means for the production of high tension discharges of very high intensity.

In my Patent 1,656,203, granted J an. l 1928, I have described an improved form of electric storage device adapted to give singl flash discharges of very brief duration, i it of very high amperage, the device being of comparativeiy small dimensions and readily portable and capable oi repeated short circuiting without damage.

It is an object of the present invention to provide means whereby such a device may be adapted to produce high tension discharges.

A further object of the presentinvention is to provide an improved form of transformer adapted for use with single flash discharges through the primary of very high intensity.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide improved or comparatively small and portable dimensions for taking X-ray photographs.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide means for taking X-ray photographs with very brief exposures.

\Vith these and other objects in view the invention will be fully described aided by the accompanying drawings, in which The figure is a wiring diagram illustrative of the process.

The figure illustrates a battery 1 giving a single flash discharge in accordance with the description in my Patent 1,656,203, and connected. on the one hand through a aniineter A and rheostat 42 to a suitable source of supply 2, 3, and on the other hand to the primary winding 5 of a transformer th rough the intermediary of a switch 6, the secon dary 9 of the transformer bei connected to the spark gap 7, 8. Obviously, however, for X-ray work the secondary is conn 1. to an X-ray tube at the points 7, S.

It will be seen that nornaliy the battery is charged from the source of electricity and on closing the switch 6 is discharged through the primary winding 5. This causes a secondary current of very high tension to be such flashes being sitiilicient to photograph the spcctruni. In connection with ordinarv X-ray worlr, it was found possible to take satisfactory X-ray photographs with single flashes having a duration of from one thousandth to five-thousandths of a second.

In use it is not necessary to break the primary circuit to obtain the high tension dis-- charge as the duration of the primary flash discharge is so brief and in the absence of an inductive circuit is cut oh so quickly that the high tension discharge follows automatically on closing the primary switch.

it is to be understood, however, that the principal. discharge in the secondary occurs when the primary switch is closed and not when the primary circuit is broken. Owing to the large area of cross section oi? the armature an appreciable time (about onehundredth of a second) is required for the magnetic saturation of the iron to occur and. during this time the discharge occurs in the secondary at practically constant e. in.

which as stated above is a feature oi? importance in connection with X-ray work. in this connection, it is an important feature oi the present invention that a high tension disrlmrge adapted for use in technical arts is obtained by discharging he contents of an accumulator through the nriiuary of a transformer wherein; hitherto such high tension discharges have only been obtained in pracl ice by breaking the primarv current or using an. alternating current. I/

I claim:

1. ii process of obtaining a high tension discharge at constant voltage, consisting in combining with a flash discharge accumulater, a transformer of the type having closed iron core with low resistance in the and a closed iron core of large cross section, a switch between the accumulator and pri- 10 mary, the accumulator being continuously charged, and being discharged on closing the switch.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

PIERRE KAPITZA. 

